Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

We Can Be Heroes

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) is more lighthearted and fun than its predecessor Raiders of the Lost Ark; it even begins with a musical number ("Anything Goes"). It's still thrilling, but the thrills come at the expense of the quiet moments on one end, and darkness on the other. In this movie, darkness is reserved for its silly villain, Mola Ram, who hypnotizes Indy (his own darkness is gone; it now has to be induced by others). The "quiet" moments are replaced in this movie by Indy bickering with his new girlfriend Willie Scott (Kate Capshaw) and taking care of a cunning little kid named Short Round (Ke Huy Quan).

Even the plot, about finding some magic rocks and rescuing some kidnapped children, is somewhat lacking. The mystery and expectation are gone. The writing and dialogue this time around were by Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck, of Howard the Duck (1985) fame. But moments like the collapsing bridge, the mine cart ride, and the cave full of bugs are as thrilling -- or more so -- than anything in the first movie. It's very much worth seeing.